Ventless Gas Fireplaces

Written by Rachel Arieff

Ventless gas fireplaces enable you to avoid the installation costs of typical gas fireplaces. If you don't already have a fireplace and want to add one to your home, one of the biggest problems has traditionally been the prohibitive expense of installing a real, wood-burning fireplace and chimney. However, even wood-burning fireplaces have been falling out of fashion, as more homeowners grow tired with the wood-cutting and fire-lighting routine.

For this reason, people have been switching to vented gas-burning fireplaces. These fireplaces yield real fires with attractive flames and are relatively low maintenance. However, they still require installation, which, while not nearly as expensive as that of a wood-burning fireplace, can add considerably to the cost. They also require a gas hookup and a properly working ventilation system in order to function.

New Ventless Gas Fireplaces

Another alternative has come along to offer even more convenience and savings than the vented gas fireplace. This is the ventless gas fireplace, which is freestanding and thus doesn't require installation. It also doesn't need a chimney or any other kind of venting system, other than the natural flow of the air in the room. Some models run only on natural gas; others can operate on either natural gas or butane.

These fireplaces can put out up to 20,000 BTUs and work at 99 percent fuel efficiency, making them effective primary heating sources even for large rooms. Retailers claim that these units can help you save money on your heating bills. Whether that is true of not will depend on the particular ventless gas fireplace model, as well as the heating and ventilation situation in your home.